


Afterwards

by Meri



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: M/M, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-09-12
Updated: 2010-09-12
Packaged: 2017-10-11 16:44:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/114496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meri/pseuds/Meri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry asks a big favor of Kingsley.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Afterwards

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the incomparable Beth H.'s Birthday (2007).  
> Thanks to Regan_V for the beta.

"Please go get Snape's body for me. I can't bear to look at any more of our dead," Harry had asked sitting in the Great Hall, pale and hollow-eyed.

Despite his own exhaustion, it wasn't a request Kingsley could say no to. Harry had saved the Wizarding world early this morning and if the boy couldn't face another dead body, then surely Kingsley could do this for him.

But it was bloody inconvenient. He should be back at the Ministry working on getting rid of the Death Eater stench. He'd only stopped by Hogwarts to say congratulations.

So, here he was, walking down the long tunnel from Hogwarts to the Shrieking Shack to retrieve Severus Snape's body.

Snape deserved a decent burial. Kingsley, and everyone around them, had heard what Harry had told He-Who...Voldemort during their final confrontation. On top of that, Harry had insisted that the Order look into the Pensieve. The information, especially about Snape's reasons, had been surprising to say the least.

After all the years Snape had been in the Order, it had never quite felt right that Snape had betrayed them all by murdering Dumbledore. Despite the evidence, Kingsley had never wanted to believe it. There had been too many times when Snape had gotten them information they needed, too many times he'd been helpful in his nasty way.

As he came into the dim room, he saw Snape lying on the floor, a pool of blood around his neck. Kingsley knew what an exsanguinated body looked like: Snape hadn't lost enough blood for that. The wound on his neck looked like raw meat, but it had stopped bleeding.

When Kingsley crouched down to touch his neck, Snape suddenly drew in a deep breath and sat up. Kingsley staggered backwards, and landed hard on his arse on the floor. It took him a second to catch his breath. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Clearly you were misinformed." Snape's voice was harsh and he pulled his wand and pointed it at Kingsley. "I'll be leaving now."

Kingsley put his hands up. "Why leave when the war is finally won?"

Snape looked at him as if he were mad. "Do you think that matters to me now? I want to avoid prosecution."

"You won't be prosecuted, I promise you that."

"So, now you're the Minister of Magic and can make these kinds of claims?" Snape spat out, his mouth twisting into an ugly sneer.

Kingsley smiled at him. "As it happens, I'll be acting in that capacity. Thicknesse met with an untimely demise."

Without any reaction to that, Snape put one hand on the floor, and tried to push himself up, while keeping his wand trained on Kingsley. "I don't believe you."

"About which? Oh, it doesn't matter since it's all true." Kingsley started to move to help him.

"Stay back." Snape had gotten to his knees and had one hand on the wall keeping himself steady.

"You know, if you're too weak to stand, you probably don't have enough energy to cast anything too serious. And I wouldn't try Apparating."

"Don't even try it." Snape was wavering slightly, leaning more heavily on the wall. The wand he pointed at Kingsley trembled.

"Oh, enough of this." Kingsley stood, and moved toward Snape. He put a hand on Snape's shoulder. "Let me help you, you prat."

"I don't need your help." Snape tried to pull away, and he stumbled again.

Kingsley caught him. "Yes you do. Potter said you were dead. He was pretty sure of it, too."

"Disappointed?"

"No," Kingsley said truthfully. His chest ached at the number of friends who had died. Maybe Snape wasn't a friend, but he'd certainly been on their side. "Especially after seeing your memories."

Snape's pale face became flushed. "How dare the little brat show you --"

"He thought you were dead. And besides, how else was he supposed to clear your name?" Kingsley wasn't going to mention the rest of the Order at this point.

"Maybe I just wanted to be forgotten. So, I can go on with my life somewhere else." His tone said he wasn't ready to believe that was going to happen.

"And you can't do that in Britain?" Kingsley sighed.

"Have you forgotten that I killed Albus Dumbledore? And if you have, I doubt anyone else has," Snape spat out, trying to pull away again, managing to back up against the wall.

"We all know now that you did it on Dumbledore's own orders."

Snape leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in and out audibly.

"Come on, Severus. Don't be an idiot. Let's get you to the infirmary."

"I'm not going to the infirmary." Snape's eyes rolled back into his head and he slumped. Kingsley managed to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Oh, just fine, Severus," Kingsley said, and Apparated them both back to his flat.

Kingsley set him on his bed. While Snape was asleep, he called Madam Pomfrey and she flooed over to examine Snape. He also called the Ministry and said he'd be in later.

"How is he?" he asked when Madam Pomfrey came out of the bedroom.

"He took an anti-venom potion before the snake bit him, and it didn't hit the jugular, so he's had some blood loss, but not enough to kill him. I've given him a blood replenisher, and he should be fine. See if you can keep him in bed for a day," Madam Pomfrey said briskly.

"Thank you for coming so quickly."

"I managed to be in a lull between patients, so I had a bit of time." She sighed. "I must return to Hogwarts, though."

"I appreciate that you came. Though I doubt he'll be grateful." Kingsley smiled. He suspected that would be an understatement.

"Is it true, he was on our side all along?" She looked hopeful, as if it mattered to her that he was not the Death Eater they'd all supposed.

"Yes. Harry took a great deal of pleasure in telling He-Who -- Voldemort that Snape has always been Dumbledore's man. I've also seen the Pensieve memories he left for Harry. They are pretty conclusive."

She closed her bag, and walked to the floo. "Even so, I doubt he'll have an easy time of it."

"Probably not," Kingsley said with a sigh. No doubt Snape's own nature would exacerbate the situation. "But at least he's alive."

She nodded and threw the floo powder down. Green flashed as she left.

Kingsley returned to his bedroom and looked down at the sleeping Snape. He'd sleep for several hours or possibly even until the next day.

He yawned hugely, the events of the last few days finally catching up with him. It had been more than twenty-four hours since he'd slept. The bed was wide enough for three and Snape could bloody well share.

Another huge yawn hit him as he pulled his shirt over his head. His eyes were trying to close on their own. Finally, he managed to get the rest of his clothes off, and fall into bed wearing only his pants.

Sometime later, Kingsley blinked awake, aware of a warm body against his back and an arm around his chest. He chuckled to himself; Snape was a snuggler. Still tired, he tried to go back to sleep, but Snape's hands were roaming and while under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have minded, he was fairly certain that Snape was asleep.

Kingsley grunted and tried to move away as Snape's hand slid slowly across his belly, his arousal starting to build. He didn't want to wake Snape, but he also didn't want to take advantage either. Besides which, to judge from the memories he'd viewed, Snape was straight, and no doubt would be horrified.

"Severus," Kingsley whispered, and his voice jumped an octave when Snape's warm hand went a little too low. He tried not to thrust into those long fingers as wrapped around his length.

He felt Snape come awake and then stiffen as he realized just where he had his hand.

"Why are you in bed with me?" Snape removed his hand. His tone said he blamed Kingsley. Typical, wasn't it?

"It's my bed. And there is only one in the flat."

"You could have been a gentleman and slept on the sofa."

Kingsley snorted. "Which is far too short. Besides this bed is big enough for both of us. Well, if one of us weren't an octopus."

"You didn't seem to mind."

"Only that you were asleep."

"I'm awake now."

In the dim light, he could still see the flush on Snape's face. But he met Kingsley's eyes without faltering.

"So, you are. And would you like something to help you sleep again?" Kingsley deliberately pitched his voice low so that there would be no doubt what he was offering.

The look on Snape's face was almost comical. "You're not joking, are you?"

Kingsley canted his hips against Snape's thigh. "Does it feel like I'm joking?"

Snape's chuckle was low and salacious. "I wouldn't have thought you were interested."

"You don't know me as well as you think."

"I don't know you at all. But I'm going to." Snape reached out and pushed Kingsley's pants down, and took off his own.

"What would you like?" Kingsley's own tastes were simple, but he was adaptable in most situations.

"I'm not choosey." The way he said it said a lot about how long it had been.

"Come on, then," Kingsley held open his arms and Snape moved into them, leaning forward to kiss him.

Snape wasn't as experienced as a man his age should have been. Given everything, that was hardly surprising. But what he lacked in expertise, he made up for in enthusiasm.

After another second, Snape's hand slid down his chest to wrap around him, stroking up and down. He thrust into Snape's hand, shuddering hard, losing track of everything except the heat washing over him.

Then, Snape stopped, drawing away slightly.

Kingsley's eyes blinked open. "What? I was enjoying that."

"Too fast. You'll enjoy this as well." Snape started back at his mouth, kissing him with tongue and teeth, sloppy and wet.

Taking Snape's face into his hands, he gentled the kiss, licking along Snape's thin mouth, nipping at his lips. Snape groaned, his hands sliding down Kingsley's chest, his lips following slowly. While Snape's kissing might not be perfect, his mouth on Kingsley's skin was. By the time Snape's mouth closed over him, Kingsley was ready to beg for it.

In an embarrassingly short time, Kingsley was coming blindingly hard, groaning, "Merlin, Severus!"

It took a couple of moments for him to catch his breath, but when he did, Kingsley drew Snape into his arms, and kissed him, tasting himself in Snape's mouth. When he pulled back, he pushed Snape's hair out of his eyes, and said, "Lovely."

Snape closed his eyes, and Kingsley saw a dull flush spread across his throat.

Kingsley rolled on top of him, leaning down, kissing Snape softly, savoring him. He licked his way down Snape's body, still mostly hidden in the dim room. Snape's belly was hairy, and for some reason that delighted Kingsley. He nuzzled his face into it, breathing in the clean male scent of Snape.

As soon as he closed his mouth over Snape's surprisingly large length, Snape came, whining loudly. Had he been with someone else, Kingsley might have made a good-natured comment about being quick off the mark, but he suspected it would not be taken in the spirit with which Kingsley meant it.

Instead, he folded Snape into his arms and kissed him, sharing the taste again. Snape said nothing, hiding his face in Kingsley's neck for a moment.

He touched the bandage. "You should sleep, Severus."

"Thank you," Snape said, his voice already slurring.

Kingsley closed his eyes and let himself slip into sleep, too.

ooOOoo

Snape was still sleeping soundly when Kingsley woke a few hours later. He slid out of bed careful not to wake him. "Minerva?" Kingsley called into the floo.

"Kingsley," she said coming into the office, still dressed in yesterday's robes. She looked like she hadn't slept and he felt a pang of guilt for what he'd been doing the last few hours.

"Are you all right? Have you slept?" He asked, concerned.

"Some. There's much to do here. Speaking of which, where have you been? Where is Severus' body?"

"Didn't Madam Pomfrey tell you?"

She shook her head.

It was nice to deliver good news. "Turns out Harry was wrong. Severus' wasn't dead."

Her face turned white. "Not dead? How?"

"He was smarter than Voldemort. He'd taken some kind of anti-venom potion before the snake bit him."

"Where is he?"

"I took him to my flat for the moment."

"Does Harry know?"

"No. I'm hoping you'll tell him."

She nodded. "Given everything, I'm not sure how he'll take the news."

"I think Harry will be all right with it. In fact, they might have a chance to make peace."

She still looked doubtful. "I hope so."

"I do as well. Can you send over some of Severus' clothes? The ones he had on are unwearable."

"I will. Anything else?"

"I'm going to recommend that you be appointed headmistress, on an interim basis. We can discuss whether or not you want the position permanently in the fall."

"What about Severus? He's still headmaster."

"I don't think he's going to want the position." Kingsley rather thought they'd be lucky if Snape stayed in England.

"That doesn't surprise me. I doubt he'd be allowed to stay in it anyway. Not with what happened this year."

And Kingsley wasn't going to address it now. "Thanks, Minerva," he said and closed the connection.

ooOOoo

Snape woke as Kingsley laid the clothes on a chair. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I have a right to feel." Snape sat up and pushed the hair out of his eyes.

"Do you still want to be headmaster?"

Snape snorted nastily. "Don't be stupid. There's no way I could remain at the school, even if I wanted to, and I don't."

"What do you want?"

"To leave. To start over. Somewhere else."

"Where?" For some reason, it was important to him to know the details.

"It doesn't matter." Snape met Kingsley's eyes. "I don't know." He reached for his wand. "Accio Snape's robes." The neat pile flew across the room and landed on the bed.

Snape stood up, and walked naked into the loo.

Despite being too thin, Snape's body was better than Kingsley would have guessed, even having sampled it last night. Kingsley couldn't help but lick his lips.

He returned quickly, dressed. "Will you let me leave, now?"

Kingsley saw the...not quite fear, worry perhaps. "No one is stopping you. I'm just surprised you'd want to run away, not when you'll be exonerated."

Snape sneered at him. "Even if you are Minister, I doubt you can work that kind of magic. I'm tired, Shacklebolt...Kingsley. Very tired. I just want to go away and rest. Don't you understand that?"

"I do. I'm tired, too. And the very last thing I want to be is Minister of Magic. But I'm going to do it anyway, because it needs to be done and I can."

"I've done enough. I deserve to be left alone."

"So you can wallow in your own misery?"

"Isn't that my choice? Haven't I earned it?"

"Perhaps you have." Kingsley shrugged. "Do you need any money?"

Snape's eyes widened a bit, but then he shook his head. "No. Thank you. I have been planning this day for a long time."

"Always the Slytherin, aren't you?"

Snape inclined his head. "I am. And you're always the Gryffindor, always idealistic and foolhardy."

"Actually, I was Ravenclaw."

"You should have been Gryffindor."

"You as well."

"There's no need to insult me." But Snape was smiling, but it slowly faded into seriousness. He leaned forward and kissed Kingsley softly on the mouth. "I do appreciate your help."

Kingsley nodded. He was strangely reluctant to let Snape go. "Are you sure it needs to be this way?"

"Very." Snape didn't look at him as he crossed to the door, putting his hand on it. "Take care of Potter. He'll need help."

"I will. He'll be fine."

"And so will I." When Kingsley looked dubious, one corner of Snape's mouth turned up. "But I wouldn't want you to be worried on my account. I'll send you an owl one of these days just to let you know how things are going with me."

Snape closed the door behind him. After he was gone, Kingsley leaned against the door and let out a deep sigh.

-finis

Happiest of Birthdays to Beth H may you have a wonderful day and a fabulous year -- Aug. 2007.


End file.
